Family and clan
Mohamed Zubeir (Maxamed Subeer, Ogaden, Darod)
The Mohamed Zubeir (Maxamed Subeer) are an Ogaden line of the Darod. They hold the west-bank rangelands of the Juba, from the river through Afmadow district into Kenya, and are the main clan of west-bank Jilib. The EUAA says Kismayo has been dominated by the Ogaden, 'particularly the large Mohamed Zubeir' line.
Name and family tree
The Mohamed Zubeir are a line of the Ogaadeen, part of the Darod. In Somali the name is Maxamed Subeer.
| Source | Line it gives |
|---|---|
| Abbink 2009 | Darod > Kablalah > Kumade > Ogaden > Bahalla > Mohamed Zubeir (Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009) |
| EASO 2021 | "The Mohamed Zubier/Ogaden (Darood) clan" (EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021) |
| EUAA 2025 | "The large Mohamed Zubeir/Ogaden subclan" (EUAA 2025, Lower Juba) |
| ACLED 2025 | Darod > Ogaden > Mohamed Zubeyr, with five coded sub-groups (ACLED clan actor list, September 2025) |
See the Darod tree.
Main branches
Abbink lists six Mohamed Zubeir lines: Musa, Reer 'Abdulle, Reer Isaaq, Reer Amaden, Reer 'Ali Nasir and Reer Adan Khair (Abbink 2009, Darod chart). He places them under Bahalla, beside the Bah Geri and Aulihan.
ACLED codes five Mohamed Zubeyr groups (ACLED 2025):
| ACLED group | Matching Abbink line |
|---|---|
| Reer-Abdula | Reer 'Abdulle |
| Reer Isaq-Ali | Reer Isaaq |
| Amaadin | Reer Amaden |
| Reer-Warfa | Not in Abbink |
| Guled Qalaf | Not in Abbink |
See Aulihan, a sister line under Bahalla.
Where they live
No census counts Somalis by clan. ACCORD notes that Somalis often claim more members than their groups have, "in order to demonstrate strength" (ACCORD, Clans in Somalia, 2009, p. 11).
| Place | What the sources record |
|---|---|
| Lower Juba west bank | The clan "controls territory from the Jubba river to through Afmadow district and into Kenya" (EASO 2021) |
| Jilib, Middle Juba | "The Mohamed Zubier are the main clan on the west bank of Jilib district, including the town of Marereey" (EASO 2021) |
| Middle Juba | One of "the two strongest clans both in political and military terms", with the Aulihan (EUAA 2025, Middle Juba) |
| Kismayo | "Kismayo town has been dominated by the Ogaden clan, particularly the large Mohamed Zubeir/Ogaden subclan" (EUAA 2025, Lower Juba) |
See Lower Juba, Middle Juba and Jubaland.
History on record
- Before 1991. The EASO says the Mohamed Zubeir "populated much of the interior rangeland" and "gradually settled into neighbourhoods in Kismayo" (EASO 2021).
- 1969 to 1991. The EASO says the Marehan presence in Kismayo grew under Siad Barre (EASO 2021). See the Siad Barre era.
- 2012. The EASO says Ahmed Madobe came to power "as leader of the Ogaden clan militia". With Kenyan support, it "captured Kismayo from Al-Shabaab" (EASO 2021).
- Since 2012. "Kismayo has been dominated politically, economically, and militarily by the Ogaden clan, especially the large Mohamed Zubier sub-clan" (EASO 2021).
Elders and customary law
Senior Somali clan leaders carry titles such as suldaan, ugaas or issim. Their role is "mainly judicial and representative" (UK Home Office, CPIN Somalia: clans, 2019, quoting EASO 2014).
The EASO says the Jubbaland parliament has "representation of all clans in Jubbaland (though often not at the level they feel they merit)" (EASO 2021). See xeer, Somali customary law.
In recent conflict records
The EUAA's 2025 list does not name the Mohamed Zubeir. It lists the Biyomaal (Dir) against the Ogaden in Jamaame, "currently dormant" (EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1).
The EASO says Ahmed Madobe "continues to have tight control" over the Ogaden militia that took Kismayo. It is "now expanded and reinvented as Jubbaland security forces" (EASO 2021). See clan conflicts, district by district.
Where sources differ
- Sub-groups. Abbink and ACLED share three lines. ACLED adds Reer Warfa and Guled Qalaf; Abbink adds Musa, Reer 'Ali Nasir and Reer Adan Khair.
- Spelling. The EASO writes Zubier and Zubeir in the same report. ACLED writes Zubeyr.
Read more
Sources
- Abbink, The Total Somali Clan Genealogy, 2009 · hdl.handle.net
- EASO, Somalia: Security situation, 2021 · coi.euaa.europa.eu
- EUAA 2025, Lower Juba · euaa.europa.eu
- ACLED clan actor list, September 2025 · acleddata.com
- ACCORD, Clans in Somalia, 2009, p. 11 · ecoi.net
- EUAA 2025, Middle Juba · euaa.europa.eu
- UK Home Office, CPIN Somalia: clans, 2019, quoting EASO 2014 · ecoi.net
- EUAA Country Focus 2025, section 1.5.1 · coi.euaa.europa.eu
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Keep reading
- Somali clan tree: DarodEvery Darod clan, sub-clan and lineage in Abbink 2009 and ACLED 2025, level by level, as one part of the Somali clan tree.
- Somali clan tree: DirEvery Dir clan, sub-clan and lineage in Abbink 2009 and ACLED 2025, level by level, as one part of the Somali clan tree.
- Somali clan tree: every clan, sub-clan and lineageThe full Somali clan tree, family by family down to diya-paying groups, from Abbink 2009, ACLED 2025 and the World Bank, with a download.
- Somali clan tree: groups outside the clan familiesGroups Abbink places outside the Somali clan families, and the Somali Bantu groups in ACLED 2025: part of the Somali clan tree.
- Somali clan tree: HawiyeEvery Hawiye clan, sub-clan and lineage in Abbink 2009 and ACLED 2025, level by level, as one part of the Somali clan tree.
- Somali clan tree: IsaaqEvery Isaaq clan, sub-clan and lineage in Abbink 2009 and ACLED 2025, level by level, as one part of the Somali clan tree.